Written by: Richard Volzke on March 15, 2014

Nature of Influence

Leaders influence others more than they influence themselves.  Just because people follow you, doesn’t mean you are a leader.  Leadership involves stewardship of one’s own physical being and the physical being of others. [1]  Morse’s book, Making Room for Leadership: Power, Space and Influence, provides a thorough overview of how one can recognize and assert power and influence in a healthy and positive way.  Power is a gift that God has given us so that we can lead and influence others for positive change.  Even Jesus used His physical presence to influence or assert power.

Jesus used his power by being an example to others, and then influencing them to follow Him.  He was not afraid to speak up for what was right, even when others got upset.  He did not tout his authority.  If we model his example, we will lead by serving others and recognizing that everyone has a purpose and a function.  Many people avoid asserting their power out of fear.  Fear of division or rejection is valid, but a good leader will influence by connecting the divided forces.  They know that it takes all members of the body functioning together, moving in a positive direction to create results.  Using power and influence, one can effectively motivate a group and divided factors to get them going in the same direction.

Not all power is bad, but power should not be abused.  “If we are to be God’s influencers, we need to come to grips with the true role of power in our lives.
Power is simply the “ability to cause or prevent change. “[2]  There are four types of power.  Jesus had all four types of power, and carefully demonstrated them to enact change or to propagate a positive message.  Knowing when to use power and when to withhold power is critical.  It is tempting to misuse power.  It is important that we recognize our own weaknesses and be open to feedback.  We need to understand how others view us.  Further, we can avoid being hypocritical when we focus on God and His will, not ours.

Expert Power:  One has authority through their role, expertise, skills, etc.  It can be earned or granted.

Character Power:  Bestowed upon a person by others.  This power is gained when others gain trust in one’s character, and have confidence that the person will act with honesty, morality, and integrity.[3]

Role Power:  Granted to a person via the role in which they serve and position of authority that they hold.  A person must be very careful when they exert this type of power so that they don’t use it poorly, and instead use it to reward.  Your boss has role power over you.  One way that people tap into Role Power is by “name dropping.”

Culture Power:  This type of power is granted by a society overall, based on what they value.  For example, some cultures value elderly people.  So, most elderly people can use “culture power” to influence others.[4]

Being hospitable and inviting others into relationship is key.  We must be aware of the emotional and physical distance to ensure we make others feel comfortable.  Power used appropriately in these spaces is a reflection of our character.  When we use power wrongly in any of these spaces, there is a negative impact on our influence and leadership.

There is power in presence.  Having the power of presence means you pay attention to others and treat everyone with attentiveness in a way that benefits others.  In other words you need to care about people around you.  Being a good steward of power is the key to successful ministry.[5]

In today’s digital world, sometimes we need to recognize when we will be more effective by taking the time for face-to-face interaction.  Modern technology can impact a person’s power, so it is important for you to recognize this and take steps to have a presence where appropriate.

About the Author

Richard Volzke